This book contained a number of interesting and amusing twists to the lessons of history we may have learned in school. I have no doubt that Ayres comes as close or closer to the truth than what convention would have us believe, others may just be an alternative theory. An easy and fun read. ( )

I don't know anyone can *not* like this book - it was plain ol' fun to hear about the real stories behind the history stories. I'd heard about some of the fallacies... mostly Columbus stories... and the Betsy Ross tales... but the rest were new. One complaint of the audiobook - very bad editing, hard to tell when a new chapter started. Minor quibble, I thought it was a fun, interesting book and anyone who enjoys US history tales will like it. ( )

Of course, not having the time or inclination for further research, and not reading a print version where there may be footnotes and sources, I hesitate to accept Ayres as the gospel writer of U.S. History, either.

I must confess that in the main I agree with his exposés, except (you did see the caveat coming, yes?) for General Washington. Whether his mother was insane, I have no opinion; whether he or his half brother (step brother?) actually built Mt. Vernon doesn't interfere with my sleep. But from accounts I have read of the a Revolutionary War, Washington was besieged by inept, if not insubordinate, Generals who failed to carry out orders.

At any rate, this is a fun book. I'd recommend it to any age reader, though K-6th graders might benefit from having it read to them. There are some politically conservative relatives to whom I'd like to send it! Did you know the so-called Boston Tea Party was the result of England LOWERING the price of tea?

Blackstone Audio did a really poor job editing this production. Until the last 10% of the book! the title of the next chapter was completely run-on with the previous sentence. Riggenbach himself was a good narrator. ( )